Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Enjoy your annual hot cross buns with a small twist. Adding dried cranberries with all spice, you can create a delicious Easter treat at home with the family.

PREP TIME 5 hoursCOOK TIME 50 minutesMAKES 1 loaf

For the loaf:

½ teaspoon of all spice

3 tablespoons of warm water

500g of plain flour

½ teaspoon of salt

75g of caster sugar

175ml of warmed milk

2 eggs

10g of quick yeast

35g of mixed dried fruits

35g of dried cranberries

75g of salted butter- softened

For the piping:

25g of plain flour

1 teaspoon of olive oil

2-3 tablespoons of water

For the glaze:

75ml of fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons of caster sugar

Preparation method

Start with a large mixing bowl and a sieve and sieve the flour, all spice, yeast and sugar into the mixing bowl before stirring together and making a well in the centre of the bowl.

In a small pan on a medium heat- warm the milk up only slightly before adding the milk to the well at the centre of the bowl. Add the 2 eggs and the butter before mixing together with your hands until you have created a wet dough.

On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out onto the surface and begin to lightly knead the dough for around 10 minutes until it is no longer sticky. If you are finding that the dough is to dry, add a tablespoon of water to help knead the dough.

In a lightly greased bowl, place the knead dough into the bowl and cover with cling film for 2 hours, letting the dough double in size.

Once the dough has risen, turn the dough back out onto a lightly floured surface and slowly, bit by bit knead the dried fruit into the dough. Start with only small amounts, waiting until the fruit has been incorporated until you add more fruit.

When all the fruit has been added to the dough, place the dough back into a bowl and leave to rest for another hour or until it has doubled in size once again.

While you are waiting for the dough to raise, take your orange and cut it in half before using a juicer to create 75ml of fresh orange juice, place the fresh juice to the side.

After the dough has rested for an hour, knock the air out of the dough before dividing into eight equal sized pieces. Once you have created all eight pieces, knead the pieces into long, fat balls, placing into your greased baking tin ideally 2 litres in size.

When all the eight pieces of dough have been added into the tin, place the tin in a plastic bag, wrapping tightly before leaving to rest for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together the plain flour, olive oil and water, stirring until you have formed a lump free paste.

When the loaf has finished rising, take the tin out of the bag and with a piping bag, pour the paste into the bag and pipe individual crosses onto each of the balls of dough.

Place the loaf into the preheated oven and leave to bake for 35-40 minutes. While the loaf is baking, add the fresh juice from earlier into a small saucepan with the caster sugar and place on a medium heat, leaving it to simmer slowly down until it has turned into a syrup.

After 35-40 minutes or until the loaf has cooked all the way through and has turned a desirable golden shade, take the loaf out of the oven and turn the loaf out of the tin onto a chopping board. With the warm orange syrup, glaze the loaf with a pastry brush, covering all corners of the loaf.